Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a common neurologic disease that is a major cause of disability and economic loss, especially in young adults. MS is confined to the central nervous system in which demyelination and inflammation in the brain, the presence of oligoclonal bands, and activated cells in cerebrospinal fluid are characteristic features [28, 31, 34]. Extensive research has failed to identify the cause of MS. Although many therapies have been used, none has significantly reduced exacerbation rates, the accumulation of disability, and the increase in MS lesion burden as judged by cranial MRI.
A recent multicenter epidermological study [36] has shown clear benefits of prolonged treatment of patients with MS with recombinant human beta-1 interferon (.beta.-IFN) [2, 10, 14, 27, 30]. These benefits are, however, limited so that the conclusion has been drawn that ".beta.-IFN is not the long-awaited cure of M.S" [1].
Antimalarial drugs [22, 23], such as chloroquine [25]and hydroxychloroquine, have been used for many years in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, and systemic lupus erythematosus. The effect of chloroquine in rheumatoid arthritis [39] has been ascribed to an anti-inflammatory action mediated by an inhibition of the release of interleukin-1 from the monocytes [4, 5], however, this is not supported by recent investigations [5, 40].